Random, quick thoughts upon seeing the brackets:

• Seven teams for the ACC! Very cool for the conference and for Georgia Tech.
• Seven teams for the ACC could be a trap. Only two, UNC and UVA, are seeded to reach the Sweet Sixteen, and we all know that Virginia isn’t really good enough to warrant a 4-seed. And outside of Carolina, none of the teams can claim they are going in on a high note. I really hope it’s not a first-weekend bloodbath.
• How about that one pod with Kansas, Kentucky and Villanova? Two of college hoops’ elite royalty along with a recent power and owner of one of the sport’s most legendary teams.
• Winthrop got an 11? Notre Dame may be in some big trouble.
• Similarly, Maryland better be very careful with that 12-seed Davidson. Davidson is no pushover.
• It’s just weird to see Duke as a 6 seed, even though that’s about what they deserved. They’ll probably be the most talked-about 6 seed in tourney history.
• I like that pod that has Virginia Tech, Illinois and Southern Illinois. Anyone who hasn’t followed college hoops carefully would never guess that it’s the Salukis who are the high seed. On top of that, I love the potential second-round matchup of the two intra-state rivals. BTW, that’s a tough break for the Hokies. You just don’t expect to see a program like Illinois as your first round opponent when you pull a 5 seed.
• If they can win their first game, I think Pitt is a great second-round opponent for Duke. The Panthers are plodding and don’t score a lot of points. The Devils have more problems with quick teams who can light it up.
• Check this list of 8/9 seeds – Arizona, Purdue, Kentucky, Villanova, Marquette, Michigan State. That’s almost a who’s who of great college programs. And BYU and Xavier are perennial tourney teams as well.
• The South region looks weak to me.
• Virginia got a 4? Virginia got a 4! That’s pretty crazy. I guess the committee looks at the conference standings a lot more than they admit, because that’s the only possible explanation for that. But I’m not complaining!
• With only eight at-large bids, I guess all the talk of the new age of the Mid-Majors was overblown.
• How about Rick Pitino taking his team to Lexington for the first two rounds? Think he’ll get booed much? And the Cardinals better be careful against Stanford (Cardinals vs. Cardinal – the committee is too cute sometimes). The Cardinal is a pretty tough squad with some talented big men.